


You Didn't Protect Me...

by ac0531



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Post-Canon, Season 3 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25055923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ac0531/pseuds/ac0531
Summary: Even though the final battle may be over, Callum still struggles with the dreadful moment of saving Rayla from death.or-Callum suffers from a nightmare, in which him not being able to save Rayla becomes a horrific reality.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 70





	You Didn't Protect Me...

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I had in my mind after re-watching season 3. Hope we get news on the status of season 4 soon.
> 
> Either way, hope you all enjoy :)

_"You didn't protect me..."_

Callum's eyes slowly fluttered open as he sat up. The air around him was cold, and he felt pavement underneath his hands as he groggily tried to stand up. As soon as he was able to stand on both his feet, he looked around to see where he was. The entire area around him was bathed in darkness, and he couldn't see anything for miles to come. He took a step forward, and his footstep echoed across the place.

 _"You didn't protect me..."_

Callum turned his head in the direction of where he heard the sound of someone whispering those words.

"Hello?" He called out. "Anyone there?"

_"You didn't protect me..."_

He heard it again, and was now curious to find out what was going on. He followed the voice, his head looking around, trying to see if he could find the source.

_"You didn't protect me..."_

Now it was louder, and seemed to be laced with some type of accent. Callum continued walking in the direction of the voice...until he stopped dead in his tracks. In front of him was a figure, standing with its back towards him. He tried to see who it was, but all he could make out was the outline, nothing more.

Callum slowly approached the figure, the features starting to become more visible with each passing step. However, the minute he could get a better look, he soon froze and his eyes doubled in size. What he saw before him was a girl, with broken horns, hair that was messy, and blood that seemed to be dripping down her arms. 

It looked to be an elf, but it wasn't clear on what type it was, or more importantly, who it even was.

_"You didn't protect me... "_

Callum could now see that it was this figure that was saying the words, and he could make out the accent to be somewhat Scottish. 

He reached a hand out to touch the shoulder, but the minute he tried that, the figure suddenly spun around to face Callum. What he saw before him nearly caused him to scream out loud as he stumbled backwards.

It was Rayla...

Her eyes were completely black, her face covered in blood, and her skin looked to be white and sickly. 

"Ra-Rayla?" Callum stammered. "Wh-wha-"

 _"You didn't protect me..."_ She spoke. Her voice was cold and it sent shivers down Callum's spine as he began to back away a bit.

"No..no, no no..." Callum stared wide eyed at her. "You-you aren't-"

_"You failed to save me...you let me die..."_

"No!" Callum's voice was louder now, fear began to overtake his body. 

_"You let me fall...to my death...never tried to even save me..."_

"Stop!!" Callum felt tears cascading down his cheeks as he watched Rayla slowly approach him. "I-I did save you! The Manus Pluma Volantis spell..it worked!"

 _"LIES!!"_ Rayla screamed, her voice piercing through the air. _"It's all your fault. All your fault that I'm dead!"_

"Just stop!" Callum was now crying. He then felt his heel hit something and he fell backwards, landing on the pavement with a loud _thud_. He looked back up in the direction of where Rayla was standing, but saw that she was gone. Now hyperventilating, Callum scrambled to get back up, but just as he did, he felt a pair of hands grab him from behind and pin him back down on the ground.

He could only stare in horror as Rayla towered over him. Her expressionless, blood soaked face and black eyes burned into Callum's terrified ones. She then dropped down and grabbed him by his shirt, shaking him vigorously.

 _"YOU DIDN’T PROTECT ME!!!"_ She screamed into his face. _"YOU DIDN’T PROTECT ME! YOU DIDN'T PROTECT ME! YOU DIDN'T PROTECT ME!!!!"_

At that minute Callum eyes suddenly shot open and he jolted upwards, his entire body drenched in sweat and his breaths short. He found himself in his bed, in a room in the chambers of the dragon queen, and right next to him was Rayla, who was sleeping peacefully. However, the minute his body shot upwards, Rayla's eyes suddenly opened up as well.

"Callum?" She asked as she sat up.

She watched as he turned his head quickly to look at her. Without saying anything, he then grabbed her shoulders and buried his face into the crook of her neck. The elf let out a surprised squeak at his sudden action, but the moment she felt wetness on her neck and his body shaking violently, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him close to her.

Callum's arms found their way to wrapping around her back, and he sobbed into her.

"Hey...hey, it's ok..." Rayla whispered as she began to stroke his hair. "Shh..shh.."

"R-Rayla.." Callum choked out, voice slightly muffled. "Y-You're alive..."

"Of course I am...why wouldn't I be?" Her fingers continued running through his hair as she shifted slightly to press a kiss on the top of his head.

Eventually, Callum slowed down on his sobbing and began to breath in deeply, all while Rayla continued cradling him in her arms. Once he was back to normal he then pulled away from her and Rayla brought her hands up to cup his face and wipe away his tears.

"What happened?" Rayla whispered, her lilac eyes showing signs of concern.

"I-I just had a nightmare...that's all.."

"Do you...want to talk about it?" Her hand began to caress his cheek gently. "Or as you say: have _big feelings time?"_

That caused Callum to smile a bit, and it brought a sense of relief over Rayla. He then silently nodded his head and began to explain.

"I-I dreamt of seeing you Rayla...but you weren't yourself..."

"What do you mean?"

"You..." His voice began to crack. "Your entire face was bloody...your horns were broken and...and your eyes were p-pitch black..." Tears started to fall down his cheeks as he continued, "Y-You then kept on saying how I couldn't protect you...how I let you fall off the storm spire..."

"My god..." She began to wipe away the fresh tears that were prickling down.

"You-you kept on saying how it was my fault...how I just let you die. I-I then woke up and thought it really happened...I...oh god, Rayla..." Now Callum started to hyperventilate again, and Rayla gently pulled him close to her. She let him tuck his head underneath her chin as she rubbed his back with both hands.

"Shh Callum...breathe" She then adjusted her body a bit so that Callum could feel her heartbeat. "Listen Callum..."

Listening, Callum soon felt the gentle pounding of her heart against his ear, and he began to breath normally again.

"That's it." Rayla whispered soothingly. "I'm right here...and I'll always be. I’m not going anywhere, and no one will take me away from you." She then pressed her lips gently on the top of his head again. Callum started to feel drowsy as he continued listening to the steady sounds of Rayla's heart beating.

"Ray-"

"Shh, go back to sleep Callum.." 

He felt his eye lids getting heavier as he melted into Rayla's embrace. Before he fell asleep completely, he whispered, "I love you Rayla..."

Rayla could only smile as she felt the prince go limp in her arms after that.

"I love you too Callum." She whispered back, before gently lying back down with Callum still in her arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: I know that there is a similar prompt like this for the Rayllum Birthday Bash, but I just want to say that I won't be participating in it. 
> 
> Just wanted to say that incase anyone was wondering why I made one about nightmares early..


End file.
